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The latest figures point to shifting migration patterns in the state, with pandemic after-effects still visible across districts and urban centres.
The number of non-citizens in Sabah fell slightly by 0.32% in 2025 to 1,040,200, a decrease from 1,043,600 thousand in 2024, according to the latest International Migration Statistics 2025.
Despite the decline, Sabah has consistently recorded the highest number of non-citizens among all states over the past three decades. From 1991 to 2025, the state has maintained the largest share, with the highest percentage recorded in 1991 at 56.5%, or 453,4700 people. The peak in absolute numbers was seen in 2018, when the non-citizen population reached 1,158,700 people.
While the 2025 figure remains below this 2018 high, DOSM noted that population trends over recent years must be viewed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022, Sabah experienced notable shifts in population structure, mirroring national trends. During the height of the pandemic in 2021, the number of non-citizens fell to 0.78mn in Sabah and 2.56mn nationwide, compared with pre-pandemic levels.
At the district level, Sandakan recorded the largest number of non-citizens in 2025 at 195,100 people. This was followed by Tawau with 142,900 and Kota Kinabalu with 125,400.
Looking at population composition, Kinabatangan had the highest proportion of non-citizens, accounting for 72.9% of its population. This was followed by Kalabakan at 69.3% and Kunak at 53.4%.
Kota Kinabalu stood out for its year-on-year growth. The annual growth rate of the non-citizen population in the state capital rose to 2.9% in 2025, with a total of 125,400 people, compared with 16.4% growth and 121,800 people in 2024. DOSM attributed this increase to the post-pandemic reopening of economic and education sectors, which saw a renewed inflow of international workers and students. Even so, the 2025 figure remains below Kota Kinabalu’s pre-pandemic level of 144,700 recorded in 2018.
The Department of Statistics (DOSM) clarified that the 2025 estimates are based on mid-year figures covering July 2024 to June 2025, compiled using data from the 2020 Population and Housing Census. The estimates apply the de jure concept, counting individuals who usually reside in a household for six months or more based on their place of usual residence.
The department also noted that these figures do not include daytime or nighttime populations. Such populations refer to individuals who are present in an area for work or daily activities without residing there, and their movement continues to influence population pressures, particularly in urban centres.
Overall, the slight decline in Sabah’s non-citizen population in 2025 reflects a period of adjustment following pandemic disruptions, even as economic recovery and mobility gradually reshape migration patterns across the state.
Figures / DOSM Facebook
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